You heard it here first. (After all, In Other Words, what else is news that stays news?)
Ta da! One of the few independent celebrations of literature with no strings attached remaining on the planet, BookFest Windsor (BFW), in honour of its fiercely tenacious longevity, features one fabulously fresh brand-spangly new website - itself a TKO worthy of a Standing O. Not only does it understand the importance of ease of navigation, it also keeps in mind the fact this is a visual medium.
Then, of course, the stellar attendees on the menu promise a feast of something-special delivery from stars and comets comme Cathy Marie Buchanan, Stuart Ross, Beryl Baigent, Nino Ricci, Frank Davey, Stan Bevington and Karl Jirgens.
A few BookFest Windsor Highlight / Delights? On Thurs. Nov. 4, The Moss Boss, Marty Gervais (poet, journalist, hockey dad / grand-dad, co-owner and publisher / editor, Black Moss Press), moderates a discussion with Friends surrounding the fact Canada's longest-running small press just turned 40 with a bang; the following evening, Nino Ricci interviews Judith Keenan, the producer of Paul Quarrington: Life in Music for BFW's series entitled The Last Note; and, come the closing day of the festivities, Sat. Nov. 6, Genevieve Lefebvre, Jean Lemieux and Michel Thérien engage in an on-stage discussion moderated by Judith Sinanga-Ohlman (Mon livre) while Percy Hatfield moderates "Growing Pains," a round-table with Susan Juby, Richard Scarsbrook and Tim Wynne-Jones.
And, finally, in the interests of full-disclosure, the good Lard and bum Leg willing, come hell or high howling, yours truly will unveil the first set of chapbooks (upon which I am now working), published by a new imprint under the umbrella of Cranberry Tree Press, "Judith Fitzgerald Presents." The first Series, we report with understandable enthusiasm and gratitude, will feature cover art-work by Leonard Cohen, including the one you see at the top of this page, "Burning Bush." Oh, I think I shall also read some of my own poetry alongside the poets featured in Series One. (Nope. Not telling . . . yet; but, it ain't me, Babes.) This event's name? "Fitz and Starts." Har :)!
Natch, I plan to send regular Tweets - with the help of someone who actually owns a Twitter account - to Boss Peter Scowen's Globe Books Twitter page . . . mebbe . . . if I can find someone willing to allow me to co-opt their account. (Neat new Tweet pic, Boss.) Stay toned . . .
B-b-but, Fitz and Starts? Pfft! What about Fitz and Stars (which my poets most certainly are)?
/whine :)
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
Guess what? Winnipeg's Contemporary Verse 2: The Canadian Journal of Poetry and Critical Writing, recently extended the deadline for its 35th Anniversary Contest to Nov. 1, 2010. The rule for your entry? The poem must contain "35" somewhere in its body. (Try this [since Eliot did opine, "For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business."] "We wear it so well, / you'll see we clearly thrive, turn- / ing the BIG three-five.")
Plus, once you park your browser at CV2's URL, why not take a look @ the winners of its annual Two-Day Contest, the one where entrants must use exactly these words in a poem: 1. grit 2. bound 3. anniversary 4. table 5. note 6. leaf 7. etiolate 8. magazine 9. slake 10. solemn. Kudos to Paris Sea ("Early morning, PMO"), Gabe Foreman ("Fall Guys"), Jim Nason ("Market"), Jaun Harrow ("In April") and Karen P. Ouellette ("Cornetto"). Bet "etiolate" would stump all but the most zanily creative among us. Interesting, the results: IMO, Karen P. Ouellette's "Cornetto," the best of the bunch, towers slightly above the other admirable selections. Just goes to show and tell us something about the subjective nature of all critical assessment, eh? And, that's the "baddest" news :). The goodest?
The highly respected and now-august journal took its "35 YEARS!" show on the road commencing with a reading @ Clinton's Tavern in Toronto last Monday, a celebratorious success (according to one in attendance) featuring Jim Nason, Kate Cayley, Maureen Hynes and Steve McOrmond; but, keep your cyber-eye on this page which provides the details for up-coming readings in Halifax Sept. 5 (with Jeanette Lynes, matt robinson, Miki Fukuda and Sue Goyette); and, in Vancouver - with Donato Mancini, Bren Simmers, Billeh Nickerson and Elizabeth Bachinsky - the evening of Oct. 16. More locations and authorly 411 will appear as plans gel; right now, details on the Winnipeg bash look to be well on their way to coming together. Congratulations, CV2! Good on you. (And, when I still submitted stuff to journals? CV2, on Dorothy Livesay's say-so [IIRC] published one of my poems [in 1974, again IIRC] Just so you know.
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
You might also like to know that Open Book Toronto e-views rob mclennan in its wonderfully wonky and often touching on-going series, The Proust Questionnaire. "The Proust Questionnaire was not invented by Marcel Proust," explains OBT's Managing Editor, Clelia Scala, "but it was a much-loved game by the French author and many of his contemporaries. The idea behind the questionnaire is that the answers are supposed to reveal the respondent's 'true' nature." (Erm, I thought all poets lied? Or, maybe George Bowering changed all that when he outed Robert Kroetsch for his imaginative prevaricatory skills?)
Sample Qs include the respondent's dream of happiness, idea of misery, favourite names, places, painters, colours and, bien sûr, mottos. When queried on his, mclennan replied, "Be positive. Keep going. Don't sweat the small stuff. Outlive your critics." (OMGulp. Pas de sweat. Pretty sure the kid will outlive yours truliously; but, for the record, my new motto? Outlive your outlivers :). Actually, one of my mottos? Better, not bitter. I cannot repeat the other in this space.)
BTW, you might wish to start @ OBT's portal page and spend the next six or so hours ogling its multivarious sights and and delights. You won't be disappointed: A Hillbilly Vampire. The Avant Garde. bp Nichol. Invisible Visionaries. Michael Mirolla. That's six (I think). You do the myth.
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
Kitty Lewis, General Manager of London's Brick Books, sends along JAN news involving an intriguing week-long event headed up by Jan Zwicky, Poetry & Contemplation @ Hollyhock (Oct. 24-29) "nestled between the forest and ocean on the south-eastern tip of Cortes Island, BC," about 160 kms north of Vancouver.
Jan Conn will read from her collections, Botero's Beautiful Horses and Jaguar Rain: The Margaret Mee Poems @ the Departamento de Lingua e Literatura Estrangeiras, Santa Catarina Federal University, Florianopolis, Brazil (Aug. 31-Sept. 1). Here's the website (if you can read Portuguese. Erin Mouré can, I know that for a fact); but, if you would like more info, feel free to email magalisperling@gmail.com.
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
And, this just in from Coach House Press:
Prepare for the 2010 Wayzgoose! It's halfway through the summer, Friends, and we're still toiling away at Coach House. We hope you get some time to relax and celebrate this August (just make sure to bring a couple of our titles with you on your vacation!). But even if you don't, you can revel with us at our annual Wayzgoose! The details of this blowout, as well as other festivals, events and sales are contained within the rich prose that follows, so please read on . . . Summer's end nears, and long-time Coach House fans know what that means: Party time. Please join us Sept. 9 to celebrate at our annual Wayzgoose! Throughout the age of the printed word, the Wayzgoose has been an entertainment given by a master printer to his workmen each summer's end (when the season of working by candlelight began). At the Coach House Wayzgoose, friends and readers can visit the Coach House, take self-guided tours of the premises, have a few refreshments, peruse the book table and hobnob with authors, publishing figures and neighbourhood locals. There have even been some love connections made at past Wayzgooses - Wayzgeese? - though we're not promising anything.
Drats! Wishful sinking. [Au: Yabbut, " Wishing inking" is way better! Ed.]
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
In this YouTube clip, a three-year-old recites "Litany" by Billy Collins. (I don't know about you; but, were I teaching my toddler to recite poetry, I'd consider something a little more substantial, say, something by Shel Silverstein, Emily, Eliot, Larkin or Robert Frost, at least. Just sighin' . . .)
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
CONFIDENTIAL TO ES. L. & PA. K.: I hope you feel better soonest, Kiddo. Warmblest. PA? I'd rather eat a gun than agree with you Booby Dylan writes better poetry than Leonard Cohen. IMO, the former doesn't even write poetry; he writes lyrics; occasionally, he gets lucky and writes a good set of them (but, I would have to go back to Blood On The Tracks to prove that point adequately). No offence intended; but, do you own a poetic licence to thrill?
§¦:-•:*""*:•-:¦§
NOTABLE QUOTABLE: "When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses" (JFK).
("Burning Bush" © 2010 Leonard Cohen, COC, BS-SITU. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved.)